Preface

After more than 80 years’ combined experience and involvement in IT, including over 50 years directly engaged in educating and helping customers implement service management disciplines, we felt we could share our knowledge and experience in a broader context. Thus, this book was developed to communicate key elements of a formal service management capability.

Within the content of this book, the reader will be introduced to the various methods, frameworks, and standards characterized by best practices for service management. From 1972 to the present, IT and service management have continued to evolve but the basic tenets of delivering and supporting services have remained constant. Customers define what is valuable and determine what provider does the best job of meeting the customers’ needs and delivering value for the money being spent. Whether delivering a business service such as a restaurant dinner, auto repair, or IT service, it is essential to understand what the customer wants from the service and how the provider can meet those needs to produce a satisfactory experience.

It is our objective to help the reader understand the basis for the effective development of a service management capability. Although the guidance focuses on IT, the information shared can be applied to a variety of businesses and services. You will find information about the key processes to consider, process activities, important terms and definitions, key governance to apply, roles and responsibilities, technology considerations, and process interactions. We, having been directly involved in implementing and executing service management, also provide practical information on how to successfully establish and maintain a service management capability.

It is our desire to provide the necessary information and guidance to allow an organization or individual to develop an efficient and effective service management program that delivers value to their stakeholders and benefit to the business. We hope that you enjoy the knowledge and experience we have shared but more importantly, that you will find value in the lessons you have learned and feel enabled to apply them to your situation to make your life better and more productive. Thank you for taking the time to read our book. It represents an opportunity for us to leave some level of legacy and to give back to the community we have operated in for so many years! Besides, we have been involved in this discipline for so long that there is no way we could not have contributed to a book on this subject.